Research

The Biomaterials Science and Technology (BST) group conducts research on (resorbable) polymeric materials and structures for use in medical devices and in the delivery of relevant biologically active compounds, (bio)artificial organs, cell-material interactions and tissue engineering.

The Biomolecular Nanotechnology (BNT) group aims to understand some of the basic principles driving the formation of nano-sized objects and nanostructured materials created by nature in the course of evolution.

The Inorganic Materials Science (IMS) group focuses on thin films with properties modified using doping or artificial layered structures and superstructures.

The Molecular Nanofabrication (MNF) group uses techniques such as microcontact printing, (dip-pen) lithography and macromolecular chemistry to build larger 2D and 3D structures with novel surface properties.

Research within the Soft Matter, Fluidics and Interfaces (SFI) group is directed at interfacial phenomena and processes that are relevant for mass and heat transport.

The Sustainable Polymer Chemistry (SPC) group focuses on the development of new sustainable polymeric materials, with a main focus on novel (bio)degradable and chemically modified biobased materials, primarily based on phosphorus-containing polymers or biopolymers, such as starch, cellulose, or lignin.

The Department of Mechanics of Solids, Surfaces & Systems (MS3) develops the technology for future manufacturing processes and new products, focusing on three research themes: material behaviour, system behaviour and robust optimisation. Various research chairs are part of the MS3 department.

• The Dynamics Based Maintenance (DBM) group aims to develop new and innovative methods and concepts to make maintenance more predictable, in order to realise more efficient and effective maintenance processes in a wide range of applications, e.g. transport, process industry, energy generation, aerospace, maritime industry, etc.
• The chair of Elastomer Technology and Engineering (ETE) focuses on material development in the areas of filler technology, natural rubber, fibre reinforcing and recycling.
• The chair of Laser Processing studies the fundamental physical phenomena occurring during later-material interaction, in order to optimise laser-material processing for laser-based manufacturing.
• The research of the chair of Non-linear Solid Mechanics concentrates on non-linear material modelling, algorithm development and nonlinear analysis and optimisation of structures and processes.
• The Production Technology (PT) group addresses the technical issues of new products and processes. It focuses on the optimisation of bother the manufacturing process and the performance of lightweight materials in structural applications.
• The chair of Surface Technology and Tribology focuses on phenomena that occur in the contact between surfaces, such as friction, lubrication and wear. Using surface treatments and coatings, these tribological aspects of contacts can be controlled.

The Department of Thermal & Fluid Engineering (TFE) consists of three research groups: Thermal Engineering, Multiscale Mechanics and Engineering Fluid Dynamics.

• The research in the Thermal Engineering group is concerned with questions related to industrial applications of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat and mass transport. 
• The Multiscale Mechanics (MSM) group studies several topics of condensed matter physics, such as granular materials and powders, micro-fluidic systems and self-healing materials. 
• The key activity of the Engineering Fluid Dynamics research group is connecting the fundamental physics of fluids to engineering (and medical) applications.

The Energy, Materials and Systems (EMS) group is internationally recognised for its expertise in applied superconductivity and cryogenics. Research in this group aims to develop technologies, materials and systems that play a key role in our future energy chains. For example, research focuses on developing superconducting magnets for nuclear fusion reactors, magnetic storage of electrical power or superconducting generators for wind turbines.

The Interfaces and Correlated Electrons systems group (ICE) focuses on materials and interfaces with unconventional electronic properties, especially related to interactions between the mobile charge carriers.

The research of the Physics of Interfaces and Nanomaterials (PIN) group involves controlled preparation and understanding of interfaces, low-dimensional (nano)structures and nanomaterials. A key challenge is to obtain control over material properties in a way that enables the modification of the properties for (device) applications, ranging from nano-/microelectronics, nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS) and wettability to sustainable energy related issues.

The Quantum Transport in Matter group addresses the quantum aspects of electronic transport in novel materials and devices. State-of-the-art materials science and nanotechnology are combined with ultrasensitive transport measurements to reveal novel quasiparticles such as Majorana fermions and magnetic monopoles.

The work of the XUV Optics group has applications in the fields of photolithography, materials analysis, spectroscopy and microscopy. Examples of these optics are found in X-ray space telescopes, PANalytical’s spectrometers, and in ASML’s wafer steppers. Their research has been key to the development of high-resolution photolithography, enabling a new generation of computer chips.